The invention relates generally to agricultural equipment, such as harvesters, and more specifically, to an automatically engaging and disengaging header lock assembly.
A harvester may be used to harvest agricultural crops, such as barley, beans, corn, cotton, flax, oats, rye, soybeans, wheat, grass seed, or other plant seed bearing crops. Moreover, a combine (e.g., combine harvester) is a specific type of harvester generally used to harvest grains (e.g., barley, corn, flax, oats, rye, soybeans, wheat, etc.). Accordingly, a combine may be used to separate a plant into different agricultural materials, such as separating corn ears from the stalks. During operation of a combine, the harvesting process begins by removing a portion of the plant from the ground via a cutting and gathering device (e.g., a header). The combine then moves the plant from the header into the processing area with a feeder system. Once inside the processing area, the plant undergoes processes that separate it into different agricultural materials (e.g., stalks, ears, grain, etc.).
A height of the header may be adjusted relative to the ground to harvest crops of varying heights, and to provide maintenance access. For example, during maintenance operations, lift cylinders may extend a piston relative to a sleeve to raise the header to a desired height. The operator may then engage a lock assembly (e.g., between the header and the sleeve) to maintain the header at the desired height. Unfortunately, manual engagement and disengagement of the lock assembly adds additional steps to the maintenance operation, thereby delaying an operator from resuming operation of the harvester. An operator may occasionally forget to manually engage the lock assembly. Manual disengagement may be inconvenient if the operator must leave the cab to disengage the lock assembly.